Corrupt rulers hate checks and balances – Chief Chiwala

When people in power are corrupt, they resist and become intolerant to checks and balances, says senior chief Chiwala of the Lamba people in Masaiti district.
Speaking on YAR FM in Kitwe, chief Chiwala said politicians in Zambia must be appreciative of criticism.
“When you are being criticised in the manner you are governing the country, in the manner you are doing things, you should not take it as politics, as coming from the opposition. Politicians need to learn from criticism and build on it,” chief Chiwala said.
He said in platforms such as debates in parliament, those on the [Speaker’s] right, who were part of the government, must pay attention to critics of their policies and governance style.
“Those criticisms [are] for you to think. What is it that we are not doing well? Why are we being criticised in this manner? Instead if simply turning around and say ‘he is opposition’; listen first; get the message. What does it mean to be opposition? This is where people get it wrong. Criticism is progressive in many instances. We need really to understand what opposition means,” chief Chiwala said.
He said the government in power, just like the PF, must be checked and that people had a right to scrutinise their performance.
“When the government is put in check by the people, it must work towards addressing those concerns. What brings about resistance, that refusal to be checked is corruption. When certain people are corrupt, they resist these checks and balances,” said chief Chiwala.